Unwanted Clemency

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Ash’s POV

When I woke I felt myself being dropped from someone’s arms onto the rough, hard, cold, wet sand of the beach. I was sure my tail bone was bruised and I ached in my lungs from the fall.

It was morning, I could see the sun starting to rise and it looked liked it was going to storm today because the sun was hiding behind clouds. I didn’t know how the tide was going to be but I felt fear because I knew I was going to get die.

My arms were roughly grabbed and I was pulled to my feet. I finally looked around and I could see all four of the men and Syn. He didn’t look to good. He had a black eye and a few cuts here and there.

Matt smiled at me, “Welcome back. Did you have a nice nap? You missed one hell of a show; Syn here was trying to help you.” Matt was in front of me and I didn’t move, “Got his ass handed to him but I’m willing to hear him apologize.”

I felt a little wobbly on my feet, “What do you want from me?”

“This isn’t about you now sweetheart,” Matt’s low voice chilled me to the bone as he circled me, “This is what I want.”

“What do you want?”

“Well you’re so ready to please.” He chuckled and he stopped in front of me, “What I want, is to prove to this man over here that if he doesn’t do what I want? He’ll suffer.”

Matt gripped onto my arm and I could hear Syn, “Shadows you can’t!”

Matt started to pull me towards the cave, “Oh don’t worry your head off Gates, I’m not going to kill her any time soon. You might just because you were supposed to maybe because she’s suffering. I haven’t really decided yet but we’ll see.”

My voice was small, “What?”

He continued to practically drag me to the cave warning me if I didn’t cooperate it would be worse for me, so I didn’t fight but was scared. The mouth of the cave was large, dark, and had this murky smell to it. The water was starting to reach the edge of the cave soaking my shoes.

“Come on guys, we don’t have much time.”

James spoke, “Shadows, you know we’re not allowed to bring humans in there. You can’t honestly be serious about this?”

“Rules were never meant to be followed, what would they say anyways? No?”

With the tone Matt had used I could tell he was a man of power of some kind of group. He was so smug and assured he was top dog and I knew then that he was obviously a leader of a larger group then I first thought and he was acting like we were going somewhere.

It was a cave, carved out rock. How could we go somewhere?

Matt slowly walked us in and I couldn’t see. It was pitch black and I was relying on Matt tugging on my arm through the cave. The terrain wasn’t too bad, a tad slippery but manageable. I didn’t know how long we walked in the dark but eventually it began to wind up hill and become drier and less horrifying.

But then I heard scurrying all around us. Like someone was walking around us but I could see them. It sounded like they were coming closer to us and I held on to Matt tighter.

“What is that?”

Matt’s laughter filled the cave, “Pest control. They take care of any of the humans that make it this far.”

I felt scared as I was brushed against, “What?”

“Don’t worry about it sweetheart, its better if you don’t know.”

Finally after what felt like hours of walking we hit light. There were torches on the walls and I started to panic. This was like some creepy Edgar Allen Poe kind of thing. But to make it even creepier there was a door. A fucking solid metal door in the middle of a cave!

We stopped in front of and Matt turned to me, “Have you ever heard of building a city on a city?”

I nodded, “Yeah, there are places were complete abandon towns are underneath existing towns like one on top on another.”

“Well not all of them are abandoned.” Shadows let go of me and opened the door, “Welcome to the City of Evil sweetheart.”

He grabbed me and shoved me forward and I was frightened by what I saw. There were people, people like me and the men taking me here that looked like me. Clean, well dressed and healthy. What was this place? How could there be people here and no one knows about it? Was it some government cover up or some quarantining?

“What is this place?”

“I already told you sweetheart.” He tugged yet again, “Keep your head down if you know what’s good for you.”

That really wasn’t going to be a problem because in all honesty, the people looking at me looked like they wanted to eat me and the less I saw them the better off I was. I was still amazed at how well the roads and buildings were down here. I don’t know how they existed without sunlight but this was amazing.

I mumbled to Matt not expecting him to answer, “How do you live down here? There is not real sunlight? Where do you get your oxygen?”

“Don’t worry your little head. Just shut up and walk.”

Syn came up to us on the side, “Shadows you can’t do this too her. It’s against all the rules! The laws! They’re going to be upset.”

Matt snapped back at Syn, “They’re not going to find out because if you open your mouth, I’ll know and I’ll tell them you’re plotting against me and the men will support me over you.”

“Just kill her then! Don’t make her go through this!”

“Back down Gates, you had your chance to kill her. I just took it in my own hands.”

We finally made it to this Victorian styled house and we walked up the stairs. The door was open and we walked through. I could see a few males spread across the areas I could see but I returned to looking at the floor. There was something wrong with them, something was off but I couldn’t figure it out.

And I really didn’t want to know.

I mean they were all pale but that could just be the fact there was no sun, it was all artificial.

Matt talked to a few near where we had entered but I didn’t listen. I was thinking about how I could get away. There had to be some small chance for me to dive away and book it. Granted there were all strong men around me but if I was scared I’m sure I’d do fine.

Eventually I was taking upstairs alone with Matt and I felt fear kick in. Syn had given me a reassuring look but I knew I was screwed. I had no idea what Matt was going to do to me and it might, well, probably involved killing me.

We had entered a bedroom and I felt all the color drain from me.

He wasn’t going to….

“Relax; I’m not going to rape you.”

He let me go and I rubbed my arm where he had been holding, “Oh that’s reassuring.”

He looked back at me, “I could if you want to be snide. I don’t mind.”

He left me as quickly as he brought me up here and closed the door on me. I heard a click from a lock and I felt the color drain from my face. I went to the door desperately trying to open it but it wouldn’t budge. I cursed a nice mouthful and I could hear Matt laughing as he walked down the hall. He was getting a kick out of all this.

When I pulled my hand away I could see the handle being turned as if someone was trying to open the door. It was a little scary but they couldn’t get in because it was still locked. I leaned my ear against the door and could hear mumbled voices.

“Syn, he brought a human home. She’s right there. I can smell her.” It was a male and it sounded like he was right there against the door, “She’s right there Syn. I can smell her. She’s standing by the door.”

I could hear Syn out there, “I know she’s in there.”

“She’s smells so good” I could hear scraping against the door, “She’s listening Syn. I want to see her and scare her. I bet she tastes good. I wanted to take her when I passed her in the cave. Shadows had such a hold on her. I almost wanted to take her from him though.”

I could hear a shuffle with a growl from Syn and a yelp. It stayed quiet after that but I was worried. What had happened? Who the hell was that with Syn and who else was in here?

My voice was soft, “Syn?”

I didn’t hear a reply for a while but when I did it was low, “Yeah I’m here.”

“You have to get me out of here. Get me back home. I won’t tell the cops on you but you have to help me get out of here.”

“I’m working on it. Just stay put, you’ll be fine.”
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